None of us knows what we are capable of doing until we are faced with the moment that ends a dream. Do we fold in on ourselves, ready to collapse from the weight of disappointment? Or do we re-group, re-cast, and re-build? Resilience fuels our courage, our determination, our capacity to renew —not the old dream, but something different —
Alyssa Exposito
coming into my own skin has been a LONG one.
I’ve always been “tiny” with eyes I thought to be “too big”, a small mouth, a button nose, but a striking profile.
I hate(d) my smile. (Still warming up to it) My two front teeth did not seem to want to be neighbors + I always felt that’s what “perfect” looked like.
I grew up knowing I would never look like the women displayed in magazines + commercials.
Fast forward to a running accident that would forever change the symmetry of my legs.
Whose trauma created scars, that hang off my skin, as if to be medals of survival.
Here I was having to grow into new skin. Literally. Skin proliferating- healing, hardening, rising.
It was almost like I was given a second chance to fall in love with myself.
To fall in love with the imperfections that exude strength + courage.
The flaws that were merely pieces to a masterpiece.
They were shields against negativity.
“She would be pretty without that scar.”
My new skin was creating space for acceptance + letting go of the notion that missing part of my limb, did not make me less than.
It gave me freedom to be comfortable + confident that no one can take away what I’ve been given, unless I gave them power to do so.
And I learned to resist.
When I began to fall in love with the power + the ability
my “tiny” self has, the more others did the same.
It’s transformative when you begin to love the parts of you,
you think others would deny.
I believe it’s because I began to settle it for myself.
No compliments or aggressions would change the pillars I stand on.
It’s all the same.
I’ve built a foundation on resilience.
This home has taken years to greet me with the words that punctuate
“You. Are. Enough.” + I greet you just the same.